BuddyPress.org

I am a high school teacher and have set up my Web server as a WorpressMU host. We have an Apple Xserve running Leopard server that hosts the WPMU installation and student portfolios. I am not a network engineer, it was trial by fire trying to figure everything out. I have WPMU running great after a few hiccups because Apple’s PHP doesn’t have GD libraries.

Anyhow, I am intrigued by Buddypress. I came across Ning last year and thought, “If I could host Ning on my own server that would be great.” That is where buddypress comes in. However, I only want it for my class site. I have other pages on my WPMU install that I want separate from buddypress. Everything is still under construction, but my class site is at: http://chargertech.edisonchargers.com/maclab/. The main blog: http://chargertech.edisonchargers.com/ is the department page that will have information about the classes/programs that we offer. I also have a site for the school paper and a couple of other teacher’s classes.

Also, I want to keep the maclab page like it is since it is our textbook/curriculum/etc. I saw how leadpress was able to separate the two. I liked that. I want the students only to see activity, blog posts, etc. related to the maclab site not the other sites. When I did a test install everything from the entire WPMU installation was showing in the buddypress streams.

I don’t know PHP, I just cut and paste as need be. I do know HTML and CSS. Is it possible to do what I am looking for? I’d love to have the maclab content page like I have now, but tied into the buddypress social network for collaboration and to engage the students. Plus, they do portfolio Web sites, and this way I can have them do a WP blog instead of a Dreamweaver site since my classes aren’t specific Web design classes.